@ druryfire Agree with you. Even dream, I will try to watch the games. When I saw the group draw ( for both Thai Teams) I had no hope at all. Cause both of them have to play Japanese Teams. The draw really was a pitty and unlucky. But on the other hand, maybe a few local Japanese will drop by + the ones coming over. Bringing in some money into the pocket. And the players from Chonburi and Krung Thai, at least, can get more competitive cause of learning from the international matches. At least this is my hope.
Hm, when I was looking at the all the pics, I would say the avg. might be 500 . But on the last game, when Chonburi celebrated the Championship, I think maybe 1000 have been in the stadium.
For attendances, i'm told about 3000 at Chonburi, with them being a province team and not a team named after a company they tend to get a fair few turn up. But for Bangkok based teams, you are lucky to reach 500, for Army or say PEA or aany team to do with governement or a private company, i'm informed that they will send employees to go support, or at least sit in the stands, even if their not interested. My brother-in-laws team, whom play in Krabi district league get more support, simply because it is the province team or local area team, rather than a company that nobody other than employees who work in an office are told to care about. Thats the big problem with Thai football and the reason why the Thai Pro League was set up, but nothing will happen until the AFC say sorry, but your no longer welcome in Champions League until you get a professional league representing the country and not just Bangkok, which is bascially a City league bar a couple of teams. With this, the AFC hope that football can help build countries in terms of road structure (actually getting about without driving over potholes etc, and playing structure, grounds with seating, pitches with flat surface.
That sounds pretty good, and reflects the idea I could catch running trough all the thai football websites. And I personally like that non company based teams are having more support. It reflects my idea of or ideal of football support. Regarding the second part of your post. Basically the idea is ok, but the point is simply how to realize? I mean BKK is so big, and Thailand is big as well. You do need to have the money, to travel all these ways. Adn frankly speaking the money is just in a few Towns / Areas in Thaialnd. Like Eastern Seaboard, Phuket Area, BKK and the North. Would be maybe enough for one league, but the centre is BKK. But maybe in the other hand, that's might have been a reason why 3 BKK teams have been relegated to the second league.
Yes, there is a lack of money, and although i hate to see company teams being represented, they are here to stay, after all, their money keeps the league going. This is where the Pro League represent more of Thailand, but of course, they would need to be very dedicated and have pockets full of money, whereas i couldn't personally bare the thought of travelling 12 hours by bus sometimes. But, saying this, all clubs represent an entity, whether it is the Army, the Navy, etc, on the same principles as most Eastern European teams, such as CSKA, coomnoly an Army team in various leagues, etc. It would be nice to one day see a Premier League featuring teams from all provinces, but then i guess the league would go bust within 2 years.
Thailand Premiere Leage Leg 2 (23rd February 08) Results (so far) Bangkok Bank 2 vs 1 Port Authority Nakhon Pathom FC 1 vs 0 Provincial Electricity BEC TERO 0 vs 1 Tobacco Monopoly Customs Department 1 vs 2 Krung Thai Bank TOT FC 2 vs 1 Bangkok University Samuthsonkkhram 1 vs 2 Chonburi FC Can anyone help with the following below? (Played yesterday or today??) Coke Bangpra vs Osotspa M-150 Chula Sinthana vs Thai Army
But on the other hand, due to from my actual research on V-League, they have the same system. Only or mostly, company based teams. And they have somtimes 20.000 att. Japan had the same system before, but they changed now. So maybe this is something special in the Asian region with that kind of Clubs. But what I do realy wondering is that, why there is no team from Pattaya in the first 2 or 3 leagues? I mean you have Chonburi, Sri Racha, Chantaburi from the eastern Seabord. And this region basically has more "money" than other regions beside BKK. You have big companies in the area of Chantaburi, Sri Racha, Chonburi, Rayong. Shouldn't there be anything more possible? But why Pattaya does not have a team? I mean, the city is quite big, a lot of Farangs, would support the team I guess, a lot of money is in the town, and I think also some good undiscovered talents and players. Have you any clue on that? Edit: ...and I think for Phuket shuld be the same as for Sin City.
Lokomotive - Your correct that the Seaboard area, could support strong teams outside of BKK (Bangkok), i'm not sure why teams don't seem to exist, its not like Thai football has just come around, its been there since the 60's. It's not a bad drive down that coast road, so maybe it could work, but i guess with teams being Semi-Pro in most areas, then travelling to Bangkok regulary for a 4pm kick off in mid week, would see teams turning up with 7 or 8 players, as most would be working. I guess every team away from BKK needs a good financial backer, whom isn't there to make money or be corrupt but put something back into his neighbourhood. But then i guess, most people with money, such as Thaksin, would rather buy abroad. Maybe because there is no since of direction from the local FA?? I'll have a word with some of my Thai friends to see what the situation is and how they feel about it, i'll post any meaningful replies on here. I regulary speak with the national team goalkeeper, Kosin, so i'll try and get his thoughts on it aswell.
If you see this link, it shows where clubs are based in the Provincial League (about step 4). Hell of a lot of clubs based all over Thailand, i'm not sure how they manage to travel about and not cost an arm and a leg, but shouldn't the Thai Premier division be as diverse as this? See the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provincial_League
I now know all results, so heres all in full for week 2 Bangkok Bank 2 vs 1 Port Authority Nakhon Pathom FC 1 vs 0 Provincial Electricity BEC TERO 0 vs 1 Tobacco Monopoly Customs Department 1 vs 2 Krung Thai Bank TOT FC 2 vs 1 Bangkok University Samuthsonkkhram 1 vs 2 Chonburi FC Coke Bangpra 0 vs 0 Osotspa M-150 Chula Sinthana 2 vs 0 Thai Army
Hello, im half thai and play part-time in england...just wondering...not saying im good enough but how would i get recognised by thai football??
According to this article from Australia, http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23283299-11088,00.html the game between Chonburi and Melbourne will be take place in BKK @ Suphachalasai Stadium. Kick Off 7 PM.
I suggest you contact FAT or probably Manchester City, as they seem to run the show. Or, go to Thailand and get a trial with a Premier League team and put yourself in the shop window. Chonburi have regular trials so they can pick up guys who want to make it in the domestic game.
A bit of a disapointment that they can't play on there home turf, maybe they don't have flood lights, but they wanted to play at midday so that wouldn't have been a problem. Shouldn't playing at home, mean they have home advantage so can choose what they want to do? It's not like UEFA, where all matches kick-off at same time, its for the home team to decide, in return Melbourne could paly at middnight, when all Thai players are half a sleep! Chonburi regulary get 3,000 turning up, but travelling to BKK in rush hour may half this, so it may be like a home game for Melbourne. I only suspect Melbourne have had a quiet word with AFC on this matter to get it changed. Last year, i remember one group stage game getting postponed and played the very next day at 10:30am, i think it was Sydney that succumbed to this, so Melbourne took note, and decided they won't have any of this, but just play to what they want.
Not looking to move there...tried contacting FAT but seem to get no reply....have family there so there looking into it from that side...hmm soo hard! lol I mean we have players in our league playing for countries like Barbados so i suppose it is possible
I understand what you mean, talking to FAT, well, its like talking to the wall, they don't really seem to exist unlewss its them doing the talking. I understand lower league players in England find it easier to play in the caribbean, but Thailand aren't a bad team, and with players playign week in, week out against other teams from Asia, such as Japan and Korea, then they will always have the upper hand. Also, many players play in Vietnam and Singapore where the money is good so they can make a living out of it, and the standard isn't too bad, so for FAT to bring in a player from the UK whom they have never seen and say cost them more money to bring you over and possibly fail, then it wouldn't be a good move for them. If i was Thai, i'm not I'm English, then i'd be tempted to go to Thailand and get a trial with a team in the Thailand Premier League, but then thats one hell of a move to make from here, so its kind of make or break. Most Thai people i know, and there all based in Thailand simply turn up for trials and get a run out and go from there. Unfortuatly thats the only way you will get noticed, and your up against another 20 million people at that.
Week 3 fixtures Week 3 29.02 – 01.03.08 Port Authority vs Chonburi FC Bangkok University vs Bangkok Bank Krung Thai Bank vs Chula-Sinthana Tobacco vs Customs Department Provincal Electricity Authority vs BEC Tero Osotspa M-150 vs Nakhon Pathom Coke Bangpra vs Samut Songkham
Yeah, they certainly haven't started well, and it was a bit like this at the end of last season, a bit hit and miss, but luckily everyone also at the top was just as bad. Hope they shape up for Champions League
@ df, can you pls check your source of the result again? Cause according to my informations, CFC has won the game 3:1 !!!
Yes, i stand corrected, and now a bit happier. My source yesterday ( i use http://asianfc.com) said 1-0 yesterday, now chanegd to 1-3 Other scores i have (from the same source) this should conclude week 3, assuming they are correct. Port Authority 1 vs 3 Chonburi FC Bangkok University 0 vs 0 Bangkok Bank Krung Thai Bank 0 vs 1 Chula-Sinthana Tobacco 1 vs 0 Customs Department Provincal Electricity Authority 1 vs 3 BEC Tero Osotspa M-150 2 vs 1 Nakhon Pathom Coke Bangpra 1 vs 1 Samut Songkham I'll get these results confirmed and include a league table shortly.
National Team News. Preparation for Friendly against China. Thailand will be without three overseas-based players and the three on Manchester City's books for their warm-up match against China in Kunming on march 15. Vietnam-based Datsakorn Thonglao and Nirut Surasiang and Sutee Suksomkit, who is playing in Singapore, have to play for their clubs. City's Suree Sukha, Kiatprawut Saiwaew and Teerasil Dangda will not travel with the team to China as they have to sort out their visa problems in their bid to play for Swiss club Grasshopper Zurich. The trio, who are on loan to the Zurich side, have only got tourist visas to Switzerland and concerned parties are trying to solve the problem. Thailand coach Chanvit Phalajivin said that the absence of the six players would not be a problem for his side and this would be a good opportunity to test new players. However, the six will be called up for Thailand's match against Oman in a World Cup qualifier in Bangkok on March 26, he said. Chanvit said Thailand would go for a win against China as beating the Chinese on their home soil would be a huge psychological boost for his men for the Oman game. source = www.bangkokpost.com